Don't Miss the Eclipse!

On August 12, 2026, a total solar eclipse will cross Greenland, Iceland and northern Spain. While eclipse chasers in Spain can enjoy totality, there is one potential problem. By the time the Moon's shadow reaches the Iberian Peninsula, the Sun will be hanging just above the western horizon. If there's a mountain between you and the setting Sun, you could miss part - or even all - of the eclipse.

Alessio Zanol's EclipseMap is designed to solve exactly that problem. Rather than simply showing the path of totality, the interactive map calculates how the surrounding landscape affects your view of the eclipse, helping you find locations where the horizon remains clear.

At first glance, the map's colour scheme can be a little surprising. London, which will experience only around 91% of the eclipse, appears in a brighter shade than some locations within the path of totality in northern Spain. The reason is that the colours do not represent how much of the Sun will be covered by the Moon. Instead, they show the percentage of the eclipse that will remain visible above the local horizon.

In much of northern Spain, mountains to the west can hide the low evening Sun before the eclipse has reached its maximum. As a result, some valleys and mountain slopes receive much lower visibility scores than places outside the path of totality with a clear, unobstructed western horizon.

Click anywhere on the map and EclipseMap calculates the percentage of the eclipse visible from that location, allowing you to compare nearby viewpoints and identify the best places to watch the event. It might even save you from making the long journey to the path of totality, only to discover that the mountain you're standing on has blocked your view of the eclipse.

Via: weeklyOSM